5 Security Challenges Facing State and Local Governments in 2016

Budget and Staffing

Budget and staffing will continue to shrink.

Small staff teams and restricted budgets aren't anything new, but while state and local governments attempt to cope with these limitations, they are simultaneously facing the same kinds of threats as large enterprises.Because of this, it's vital to hire a security professional. But how do you identify the right candidates?

Detail-oriented – One of the more innate abilities of good security experts is excess attention to detail and conscientiousness. Without being meticulous and thorough, it's easy to miss what could be a potentially dangerous threat. A great security expert is able to not only understand the information and what it means, but is also able to remain focused.

Assertive and flexible – A good security team member must recognize the necessity of working irregular hours, recognizing that network security isn't a routine 9-to-5 job. Equally as important, they should be able to decipher a problem and come up with a solution independently by demonstrating assertive problem-solving skills.

Another route that more industries are considering is outsourcing. By using remotely managed devices, it's possible to save both money and time while receiving top-level protection. Research outside vendors to help you manage your security; some devices can even replace the need for an extra full-time team member.

When it comes to the security of state and local government networks, recent data all points in one direction: vulnerability. At a time when network security is more in the spotlight than ever, state and local governments are expected to keep data private and secure, but the threat of network exposure is more prominent than ever.

By analyzing over 30 million security alerts from its users around the world, Sentinel IPS discovered that 67 percent of state and local government networks triggered critical malware or ransomware alerts, compared to only 39 percent of non-government/education networks.

What does this mean for state and local governments looking ahead to 2016? The data shows several trends emerging for the upcoming year.

David Lissberger is chief executive officer at Sentinel IPS, a managed service that relieves the burden of network security for businesses with its threat management system that is based on active threat intelligence.

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